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Date: May 26, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN	NEWSLINE
May 26, 2005

BETHANY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CELEBRATES 100th  COMMENCEMENT

May 26, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- Bethany Theological Seminary  celebrated
its 100th commencement on May 7 in Richmond, Ind. A ceremony  for
conferring degrees was held at Bethany's Nicarry Chapel and a
worship  celebration at Richmond Church of the Brethren. Bethany is
the Church of the  Brethren school of theology.

President Eugene Roop welcomed graduates,  family, and friends to
the noteworthy commencement. "Please know that as you  carry Bethany
with you, you have affected Bethany whether that influence  be
obvious or subtle," he told the graduates. "You join a	century-long
company of students who have shaped as well as been shaped  by
Bethany."

Fumitaka Matsuoka spoke at the degrees ceremony,  encouraging
graduates to ask the question, "How do I live out God's  vision?"
Matsuoka is professor of Theology and executive director of  the
Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and  Asian
North American Religion at Pacific School of Religion in  Berkeley,
Calif, and a 1969 Bethany graduate. He served as academic dean	at
Bethany from 1987-92. His address, "An Unmasking Experience," was
based  on Isaiah 6:1-9.

During the ceremony, faculty accomplishments of the past  year were
noted including the Rohrer Book Award received by Dawn	Ottoni
Wilhelm for "Believing in Preaching: What Listeners Hear  in
Sermons" (Chalice Press), which she co-authored; and a Doctor  of
Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary to be received  by
Jonathan Shively on June 11. His dissertation is titled,
"Anabaptist  and Pietist Foundations for Urban Multicultural
Leadership."

Tara  Hornbacker gave the message, "Against the Flow," for the
worship celebration.  She asked graduates to take a fresh look at
Romans 12:9-21. "We have at times  in our history focused on
truncated versions of the Gospel--stopped at the  ‘be not conformed'
part--without the rest of the story," she said. "The  scripture
reminds us that transformation has its origin and its goal in  God."

Ten students received Master of Divinity degrees: Ann M. Bach  of
Richmond, Ind.; Kay E. Gaier of North Manchester, Ind.; Evan
Benjamin  Garber of Weyers Cave, Va.; Tracy Ann Knechel of Dayton,
Ohio; Connie M.  Maclay of Mapleton Depot, Pa.; Todd Reish of
Richmond, Ind.; James Kent  Risser of Lewiston, Minn.; Pearl Rebecca
Rohrer of Richmond, Ind.; John Sgro  of Decatur, Ind.; and James
Zerfing of Lancaster, Pa. Risser is Bethany's  first graduate to
receive both of the seminary's degree emphases of Peace  Studies and
Ministry with Youth and Young Adults. Maclay was  awarded
distinction in Biblical Studies. Knechel and Gaier were  awarded
distinction in Ministry Studies.

Two students received Master  of Arts in Theology degrees: Deborah
E. Romary of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and  Lutricia L. Zerfing of New
Paris, Ohio. Jon Keller of Greenville, Ohio,  received a Certificate
of Achievement in Theological Studies.

The  Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to
continuing  the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living
out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the
Anabaptist and Pietist faith  traditions and is one of the three
Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its  300th anniversary in
2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United  States and
Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil,  the
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

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For more  information contact:

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News  Services
Church of the Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin,	IL 60120
847-742-5100 ext.  260
cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org

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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl
Brumbaugh-Cayford,  director of news services for the Church of the
Brethren General Board.  Newsline stories may be reprinted provided
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